NATIONAL NIGHT OUT 2010 – THANK YOU

I would like to take a moment and say THANK YOU to all of you who volunteered your time and your grills for NNO 2010.  The event was a great success!

DASH eNEWS

On Wednesday, August 25, 2010, Alexandria Transit Company (ATC) will be conducting a School Supply Drive in partnership with Community Partners for Children.

Passengers who bring new school supplies (i.e. backpacks, notebooks, lunchboxes, etc.) will receive a FREE ride on ATC’s DASH bus system.  Riders are requested to place their donation in the special blue plastic bags attached to the side of the farebox.

The Old Town Transit Shop, 1775-C Duke Street, Alexandria (across from the King St. Metro Station) is also one of the collection sites for Community Partners for Children School Supply Drive.  Should riders wish to make additional donations, there will be a collection box at that location until September 3rd.

FIRST THURSDAY ON THE AVENUE – DOG DAYS OF SUMMER

August 5^th, 6:00 to 9:00

Get ready for a fun packed Dog Days of Del Ray First Thursday on the Avenue from 6 pm to 9 pm!  While Del Ray Business Association (DRBA) will be offering lots of exciting things for everyone including music from Del Ray’s favorite, the Kate Moran Band, we have some very special activities planned for Del Ray’s much loved citizens, our dogs!!!   Back by popular demand, we will have another exciting treasure hunt with special doggie goodie bags for the first 50 completed forms and then a Grand Door Prize selected from ALL completed entries that are returned.  The drawing for the Grand Prize will take place at 8:15 pm at the market and includes either a week of daycare (orientation included for new clients) or a full grooming package from Your Dog’s Best Friend and a free weekend of pet care from Karing By Kristina.

Dogs and their humans will have the opportunity to visit & participate in the following seven very special stops to get their entries stamped:

Confidence Course – sponsored by Your Dog’s Best Friend – hosted by Bean Creative

Pet Massage – sponsored by VITAL Body & Mind Therapies w/Amy Egger, Pet Massage Therapist

Lucky Dog Rescue – sponsored by DRBA – hosted by Anna Leider

Pool Party & Yappy Hour – sponsored & hosted by Barkley Square

Pet Safety Team – sponsored by the Red Cross – hosted by A Show of Hands

Charity Dog Wash – sponsored by the Guest House – hosted by Nature’s Nibbles

Misting Tent – sponsored by DRBA – hosted by Forum One & Neighborhood Pharmacy

Participants & their pets are invited to stop by the Del Ray Farmer’s Market to pick up their form with clues on where the seven participating groups will be set up.   And don’t feel bad, if your pooch isn’t a social butterfly or doesn’t get along well with others J, you are still welcome to participate and then share with him/her their goodie bag after you get home.  Once you have gotten a stamp from each location, return your completed form to the Farmer’s Market where the first 50 will get free goodie bags and all will be entered for the Grand Prize Drawing.  All completed entry forms must be turned in by 8:15 to be eligible for the Grand Door Prize.  

While all activities are free, we do ask everyone to reach into your hearts and help those that are less fortunate.  We will have a tent set up at the Farmer’s Market where Community Partners for Children will be collecting school supplies for children.  While you are shopping with your children for their school supplies, pick up an extra box of pencils or an extra back pack and have your children bring them to the market and learn a valuable lesson of helping others.  And to say thanks, Community Partners will have a fun craft activity during First Thursday for your children to do – making doggie puppets!!

Also, if anyone is interested in volunteering, we need help at a couple of the stations and with the crafts at the Community Partners table.  Just e-mail me back!

NEWS OF EVENTS & LOCAL BUSINESSES IN THE DEL RAY AREA

VITAL Body and Mind Therapies, 2201 Mt. Vernon Avenue, is pleased to be hosting Amy Egger, Pet Massage Therapist, who will be on hand giving complimentary pet massages. Stop by 2201 Mt. Vernon for a visit and bring your pet for some pampering!

HARRY BRASWELL, Inc., Del Ray’s own neighborhood General Contractor, Plumbing service and Kitchen Studio, Be sure to visit Harry Braswell, Inc., at First Thursday at 2207 Mt. Vernon Ave. next door to Bean Creative.  We’ll have sprinklers and cold sodas to cool you off.  Throughout the night we will be accepting donations to the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria and at the end of the evening we will raffle off several sprinklers.

La STRADA, 1905 Mt. Vernon Avenue, will be giving out homemade dog biscuits (parmesan garlic &  banana biscotti) on 1st Thursday, Dog Days of Del Ray from 6-9pm. 

BARKLEY SQUARE, 2006 Mt. Vernon Avenue.  Join Barkley Square for our biggest Yappy Hour of the summer! All proceeds will be going to Greyhound Welfare, Inc. With the theme of 1^st Thursday being “Dog Days of Summer”, Thursday is sure to be a blast! We will have beer, wine, snacks, a bark bar, doggie pools, great music, and photos with Barkley!  The Greyhound group will also have dogs for adoption at the event! Our Yappy Hour is from 5:30- 9pm. Hope to see you and your family there! Help us raise money for a great rescue! 703-548-3644 www.barkleysquarebakery.com  And keep your eyes peeled for more information about our Grand Opening of Doggie Delights at Night, which is Barkley Square’s newest store on the waterfront in Old Town. We will be kicking off our Grand opening with a Yappy Hour on August 11^th, along with the Snack Shack, by Bittersweet!

STUDIO BODY LOGIC – AUTHENTIC PILATES, 2417 Mount Vernon Avenue.  Stop by and see us during First Thursday this week.  We’ll have lemonade for the kids, biscuits for the pups and a sneak peek at our apparatus for those of you pondering Pilates.  Visit www.studiobodylogic.com and join us on Facebook!

DEL RAY ARTISANS, 2704 Mount Vernon Avenue.  (1) The Gathering of the Legends photo exhibition opens Friday, Aug 6 with a reception 7-10 pm; (2) Alexandria Art Market featuring 20+ artists, music, food on Saturday, Aug 7, 10 – 4, rain or shine; (3) Two Open Life Drawing sessions, Wednesday, Aug 11 (Gestures, 11 am – 1 pm, Poses, 2 pm – 5 pm); (4) Artist’s Talk:  The Art of Photojournalism on Thursday, Aug 12, 7-8:30 pm.  Check http://www.thedelrayartisans.org for details, registration fees and directions.

IMMANUEL LUTHERAN SCHOOL, 1801 Russell Road.  Alexandria’s Original Jr. K – 8 Classical Education Academy.  A classical school has many distinctives that set it apart from the average classroom experience.  There is emphasis on the ‘great books’ and classics of literature; the development of language and the knowledge of culture.  Music and the arts play an important role, as does Latin, science and real math (yes, like you learned it!)  For more information, visit us on the Avenue at the August 5^th “First Thursday” or contact : Clarence Geter, Dean of Students, at clarence.geter@immanuelalexandria.org or (703) 549-7323.

The UPS Store in Del Ray, 2308 Mt Vernon Avenue (in between St. Elmo’s Coffee Pub and the Dairy Godmother) is your “Back to School” store. We can help you pack and ship your things back to college, and even help you receive your care packages throughout the year. 703.739.9100. www.theupsstorelocal.com/4244.

COMMONWEALTH BAPTIST, 700 Commonwealth Avenue.  We’ve recognized that there is a great need for quality after-school programming for the middle school students in our community, and in response to this need we are proud to announce the opening of a brand new tutoring program specifically designed give middle school students a safe place to go after-school and to keep them on track academically throughout the year. Beginning this fall semester Commonwealth After-School Program, will provide tutoring and extracurricular activities for middle school students M-F from 3:30-6:00pm as a service to parents and families at a reasonable cost.  We will meet at the church campus, which is a safe location within walking distance of George Washington.  Space is limited so if you would like more information about the program or if you are interested in enrolling your student please email toniafterschool@gmail.com or call 571-438-8640.   http://commonwealthbaptistchurch.org/category/after-school-program/

ECLECTIC NATURE, 1503 Mt. Vernon Avenue, SAYS DON’T LET THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER GET YOU DOWN!  Stop by and check out our dealers wares.  New home furnishings arrive weekly so you don’t want to miss out.  Start thinking about FALL PLANTING too!  Spring BULBS will be arriving soon along with FRESH PERENNIALS, GRASSES, MUMS and PANSY’S.  Fall is actually the best time to plant when the temps get cooler and plants have the winter to become established.  We are also planning some great activities for the fall, so stay tuned!  703.837.0500
www.engiftandgarden.com

THE HEALING TREE, 2101 Mt. Vernon Avenue, offers Massage Therapy, Acupuncture, Psychotherapy and Reiki.  Escape the heat and treat yourself to a massage. We offer appointments 7 days a week. Each massage is customized to meet your needs. Two of our therapists have received specialized training in Oncology Massage.  If you or someone you know is going through cancer treatment a massage can be very beneficial.  Call 703-706-9500 to book an appointment or schedule online at www.healingtr.com.   

FireFlies, 1501 Mt. Vernon Avenue, 703.548.7200
5 August, Thursday – Dr. Tim Parks & the Rev, with Ed McGuire
                                        http://www.myspace.com/parkstim
6 August, Friday – Hannah Spiro
                                        http://www.hannahspiro.com/
7 August, Saturday – Dinner & a Movie – INK showing at 9 pm.
                                        http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1071804/
                                        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBGeErufQdY (trailer)
8 August, Sunday – Bluegrass Brunch with Big Hillbilly Bluegrass – Brunch at 9
am, Music at 11 am
9 August, Monday – Burger night!
10 August, Tuesday – Trivia with Blair and the gang starts at 8 pm

BODY, MIND AND SOLE LLC, 2111 Mt. Vernon Avenue – read about us on yelp.com!
Mon-Fri. $10 off ANY Service for 60 minutes or longer.  Includes: Swedish, Deep Tissue, Prenatal/Post-Partum, Reflexology, Sport and Trager.  Call 703-739-2111. Bring in email for your discount. Expires 8-31-2010.

ING Life Insurance Donna Manges, Licensed Insurance Agent, Serving the Del Ray Community, 703-836-8758/703-835-3721 donna.manges@insphereis.com   www.insphereis.com/donna.manges   People buy life insurance for all kinds of reasons.  Some people want to make sure their family will be well taken care of if they die.. Some want to set up their estate to try to minimize their tax burden and make sure more of what they’ve earned goes to their heirs. And there are still others who use life insurance to help them buy out a business partner or to provide additional executive benefits for key employees. Regardless of why someone may come to us for help, we have a product designed to fit exactly what they’re looking for. We’d like to tell you a little about the different types of insurance we offer and some of the ways you can use our products to round out your financial plan.  Term and Universal Life.  Ask about return of premium term life.

ALEXANDRIA COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL, 2400 Russell Road. The new school year is right around the corner! We’ve seen great progress on the construction of our new dining hall and gymnasium and we are excited to unveil the facilities at the start of school.  For parents seeking a community-based independent school experience for their K-8 students, consider attending one of our Open House events this fall; October 6, November 10, December 7 and January 13. ACDS offers small classes, emphasis on character education and leadership, challenging academics, competitive athletics beginning in 5^th grade, and numerous after school programs. Visit www.acdsnet.org or call 703-548-4804.

ACKC COCOA BAR, 2003a Mt. Vernon Avenue. The theme for this 1st Thursday is Dog Days.  ACKC will be giving out free doggie frappes (vanilla/peanut butter) to dogs that bring their human to the store.  Also, don’t forget our Facebook promotions, find us, follow us, and get free stuff only for our Facebook fans.  Our Friday night (8:30-9:30) TV Alfresco features Batman, the cartoon.

ARTFULLY PAPER, 2007 Mt. Vernon Avenue. The moving sale continues.  Artfully Paper is leaving Del Ray and moving to the Carlyle complex, near King Street Metro. Artfully Paper is also going to morph into Artfully Gifts & Chocolate. We’ll be bringing all of the chocolates that we sell at ACKC (which is NOT moving, by the way) to the new store. Until we move, YOU WIN, because we’re having a BIG MOVING SALE. Many items marked down 50% or more. Call 703-778-4440 for hours. Also, we’ve launched a new Facebook page for Artfully Gifts & Chocolate. Find us on Facebook and you can follow our progress. We’ll also be announcing specials and promotions there. Come join us in the fun.

THE ENERGY CLUB, 2900 S. Quincy Street.  August 1^st-31^st – Join The Energy Club for only $49 and get August Free. Includes Free classes – Yoga, Pilates, Zumba, Spinning, Kickboxing, and more! Membership includes 2 Free Personal Training Sessions, Towel and Locker Service, Free Parking, Cardio equipment with Personal TVs, State-of-the-Art strength equipment and more! Visit us at www.theenergyclub.com for a Free 3-day Guest Pass!

ST. RITA SCHOOL (K-8), 3801 Russell Road.  St. Rita’s 2010-2011 school year begins on August 30th!  St. Rita School has been named a Top School for the State of Virginia by the Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth.  St. Rita School provides a quality K-8 education in a caring and learning-focused environment.  Experienced faculty, reasonable tuition and a dynamic curriculum make St. Rita School a great value.  St. Rita School is registering students for the 2010-2011 school year.  For information, please see the school’s Admissions site, www.saintrita-school.org/admissions, call 703-548-1888 or send an email to saintritaschool@me.com.

eye2eye Optometry Corner, 1502 Mt. Vernon Avenue (703) 548-0122, www.myeye2eye.com

Don’t go on vacation without thinking of SPF for your eyes.  Enjoy 30-40% off all sunglasses including Ray Ban and Coach.  Designer and sports sun wear available as well.

ST. STEPHEN’S & ST. AGNES SCHOOL, 400 Fontaine Street. Looking for a fun, educational experience for your children before summer’s over? More than 1,200 campers are learning new skills and making friends at the St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes School SummerTimes program. Camps are offered for students ages three to 18 and run through August 27. The following camps are still open for registration, but hurry, as camps fill quickly! August 2-6: August Adventures Day Camp, French, Jr. Cooking, Magic, Fishing, All-Sports, Girls Lacrosse; August 9-13: August Adventures Day Camp, Fantasy & Sci-Fi Battle Gaming, Physics is Fun, Virginia Adventures, Girls Shooting Basketball, Christian Themes, Study Skills; August 16-20: August Adventures Day Camp, Chinese, Zoology, Girls Soccer, Girls Volleyball, Christian Themes; August 23-27: College Essay. For more information, call (703) 212-2777 or visit www.sssas.org/summer. St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes School is a JK-12 coed, college preparatory Episcopal Church School located on three distinct campuses in Alexandria. Visit SSSAS online at http://www.sssas.org, Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/sssas, and we invite you to contact us for a campus visit! http://www.sssas.org/inquiry Lower School Admission, Grades JK-5: 703-212-2705. Middle and Upper School Admission, Grades 6-12: 703-212-2706.